View outfit.



No. 695,978. Patented Mar. 25, I902.

B. B..WH|TING.

v'lew ourm.

(Application filed June as, 1900.

(No Model.)

.1 rats RICHARD R. XVIIITING, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

VIEW OUTFIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,978, dated March 25, 1902.

Application filed n 1900- To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, RICHARD R. WHITING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful View Outfit; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, attention being called to the accompanying drawings, with the reference-numerals marked thereon, which form also a part of this specification.

This invention relates to view-glasses of the kind generally used for the purpose of viewing pictures, photographic views, &c.

It relates more particularly to the 1neans,being the lens-holder, for supporting the glasses, to the means for supporting the lens-holder in proper position for use, to means properly adjustable for supporting and focusing the views, and to means for storing these latter while not in use.

The invention consists,prin1arily,of combining all these parts in one device, furnishing a complete outfit for the purpose of viewing pictures. The manner of combining these parts is such that after use the whole device may be closed up in a convenient manner to form a compact package, which properly protects and preserves the contents.

The invention consists, further, of the construction of these various parts and whereby they operate and cooperate properly in the first case within the limits of their individual intended function and in the other case in conjunction with other parts of the outfit.

An important feature of the lens-holder is a construction which permits changing in position of the lenses in a manner whereby they may be used for viewing either plain-that is, single-or stereoscopic views.

In the following specification and particu larly pointed out in the claims at the end thereof is found a full description of my invention, together with its manner of use, operation, parts, and construction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which.-

Figure 1 shows in a perspective view all the devices of the outfit in their operative posi" Serial No. 21,279. (No model.)

tion and ready for use. Fig. 2, in a side elevation, partly in section, shows the outfit in the same condition as shown in the preceding figure. Fig. 3, in a similar View, shows the outfit closed up when not in use. Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section of the lensholder,the same being opened out to permit access to the lenses. Fig. 5 is a vertical crosssection of the preceding figure with the lensholder closed up. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the two preceding figures, and Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view illustrating the means for holding a lens in its proper position.

The lens-holder consists of two plates 15 and 16 of substantially equal size and elliptical shape having registering openings 17 and hingedly secured to each other at 18 and with a space between them equal to the thickness of the lenses 19. These latter are held in this space by parts of the margin around openings 17, they being slightly larger than these openings, and they are held in position within such openings, so as to close them, by angular projections or lugs 21, projecting inwardly from one of the plates. The lenses are formed as shown in Fig. 6, and they may be used either for viewing single pictures or stereoscopic views, according to the position of their thinner edges with reference to each otherthat is, whether they are turned to the inside and opposite each other,as shown in Fig. 6, or whether they are turned to the outside and remote from each other. In either one of these cases these thinner edges rest upon lugs 22, which are shorter than lugs 21, and the thick part of the lenses is held in position as to plate 16 by portions 23 thereof. If it is desired to change the position of the lenses, it is only necessary to swing the plates of the lens-holder apart, as shown in Fig. 4: and in dotted lines in Fig. 5, after which, the lenses being otherwise entirely loose, they may be readily taken out, turned over, and replaced again. After this the two plates are brought together again and one is closed against the other, in which position they may be held by means of a suitable snap-catch. The space be tween the two lens-holding platesis closed by a marginal flange 24 on one of the plates-in this case plate 15. This flange serves also as a support for the customary hood 25, which is of sheet metal formed of one piece, which is shaped and bent as shown and has its ends connected by a suitable joint or seam, as shown at 26, at the under side of the hood.

The projecting edge 27 around flange 24 may be provided with ornamental scrollwork, as shown in Fig. 1, to improve the appearance. The edge nearest the observer is cushioned by fabric, like velvet, plush, or other suitable material, which is held in position by perforations'28, around the hood near this particular edge. This cushioning material may be stitched around this perforated edge, as shown in Fig. 2, or it may be in form of strips 29, which are interlaced and wound around this edge, being passed through these perforations thereat, as shown in Fig. 4. This whole lens-holder and hood combined is supported in operative position for use on a boxshaped structure consisting of sections 31 and 32, hingedly secured to each other, and of which section 32 is also hinged to another boxshaped part 33, which serves as a base for the device. These two sections are of equal depth, so that when open their then flat sides form a straight, continuous, and unbroken surface, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, upon which the lens-holder or a slide, to be presently explained, may be shifted during the sliding movement for purposes of adjusting the focus. Elevation of this lens-support to the proper angle for convenient use of the lenses is attained by a support 34, produced in the most practical manner by a suitable increase in height of one of the sides of base 33. This support 34 may be in two parts hingedly secured, so that when the upper part or flap 35 is turned down a lower position for the lens-holder may be had.

The views for immediate observation are carried by a slide 36, which-is simply a boxshaped structure with open ends,preferably of tin, and resting on the inclined surface formed bybottoms .of sections 31 and 32, on which it may be moved up or down for adjustment of the focus, it being guided during this movement betweenthe sides of'these sections. It is held in any of its adjusted positions by serrations 37 on this surface, which are engaged by similar serrations 38 on the under sideoftheslide. These latter serrations may be simply pressed out of the bottom of the slide, while those on the .bottom of the sections are preferably formed by serrated rubber cloth aflixedthereto.

The pictures 39 may be viewed byv simply placing one at a time against the front end of the slide; but I prefer to affix a number or series of them edgewise to a flexible back 41, the whole forming a book. The manner of their attachment is immaterial. It may be by strips pasted along the edges of these pictures and also pasted to the back, or it may be by stitches or lacing, the cordpassing through openings or eyelets near the edges of the pictures. This book Qf-pictures is placed on top of the slide, with the first picture near the front edge thereofthat is, the one nearest the lens-holderand the pictures .are viewed by turning them down one after the other. Another and preferable way of manipulating these pictures is by bringing the ends of the back together, as shown in the drawings, forming an endless belt, which passes around the top of the slide, with guide and friction rollers 42 interposed at the edges where the belt turns around. The manipulation is then by turning the upper or front roller, which is facilitated by a knob 43 at one of the ends thereof. The viewed pictures pass in this case simply through the hollow part of the slide. When so used,the bottom of the slide is rearwardly extended to prevent it from tipping .over, to which it is liable in view of the weight of the book of pictures. By so supporting and viewing the pictures another advantage is gained, and which is the availability of the back of each picture for carrying another picture or descriptive matter pertaining to the one picture, since both sides of each picture or back upon which they are pasted become successively visible. After use the outfit may be closed up to form a compact package, as shown in Fig. 3, for which purpose, as has already been explained, all the parts of the structure are hingedly secured to each other. Sections 31and 32 are closed up in the manner indicated in Fig. 2- that is, section 31 is turned back and doubled on section 32, which now permits the two to drop from support 34 and down on top of box 33. Before so closing up these sections, however, it becomes necessary to move the picture-supporting slide clear into one of the sections, while the lens-holder is turned into section 31. For such purpose this latter is hingedly secured to the front edge 44 ofscction 31 by means of a flap 45, which forms a part of hinge 18. It will be noticed that this latter serves thus two purposes-that .is', it serves to connect the separable parts of the lens-holder to each other, as well as to attach this latter as a whole to itssupport. By reason of this hinged connection of the lensholder it becomes necessary to provide means to hold the same in position while the-apparatus is in use and as shown in Fig. 11. For such purpose I provide straps 46, which may be constituted by the end ofthe material forming the cushions and which carry at the free end one of the complementary parts of a suitable catch device 47, while the other one of such parts is carried and secured to the end of section 31.

The box-shaped base 33 serves as a place for storing views. An extra stock of views may be kept in additional boxes 48 of a size about the same as box 33 and placed below the same. The boxes of this stock are held ICC in position on each other by suitable catch devices 49 on one box engaging pins 51 on the other.

The removability of the lenses, whereby the glass part may be bodily taken out, facilitates also greatly their cleaning.

WVhile I have described the picture-carrying support as a slide adjustable in its position for focusing, it is evident, since such focusing consists merely of adjusting the distance between the former and the lenses, that such adjustment might be had by moving either or even both. Accordingly the picture-support might remain stationary and the lens-holder could be moved, for which purpose this latter would be adj ustably supported on its support-that is, section 3l-on the bottom or between the sides of which it would be moved.

Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. Alens-holder consisting of the two plates with a space between them, connected so as to permit separation and each having two openings which register with those of the other plate and projections bent up at right angles from one of these plates and into this space for confining the lenses in position by engaging them edgewise.

2. A lens-holder consisting of two plates hingedly secured to each other, so as-to permit them to be swung apart and with a space between them, two openings in each which register with those of the other plate, projections bent up from one of these plates and into this space for confining the lenses in position within the openings in the plates and I a locking device to hold the plates in position on each other.

3. The combination of alens-holder, a hood fitted around the same and projecting from one side thereof, perforations near the free edge of the hood and a cushion covering this edge, consisting of strips of fabric Wound around this edge and held in place by being passed through the perforations thereat.

4. In a view outfit, the combination of a lens-holder,apicture-carryingsupport, astorage-box for pictures adapted to receive them when not in use, said storage-box being in sections hingedly secured to each other, thereby permitting it to be opened out so as to serve as a support for the lens-holder and picturecarrying support, a hinge whereby the lensholder is secured to one of the sections of the storage-box, a combined storage-box and base to which this sectional storage-boxis hinged, a support projecting upwardly therefrom upon which this sectional storage -box is adapted to rest in an inclined position when opened out and a hinge to hold it to its base while in such position as well as after taken off from this support and folded up.

5. In a view outfit, the combination of a lens-holder, consisting of two plates between which the lenses are confined, a support adapted to be adjusted to an inclined position, a hinge whereby the two plates of the lens-holder are hinged to each other and the latter also as a whole to this support and a picture-carrying slide resting upon this latter.

6. A view-glass consisting of two lenses sub stantially square and thinner on one edge than on the other, two plates spaced sufiiciently apart to admit these lenses between them,'two openings in each of these plates which in one register withthose of the other plate, said openings conforming in outline to the lenses, but ofdimensions somewhat smaller than these latter projections bentup at right angles into the space between the lens-holder plates whereby the lenses are removably held within the openings and shorter projections adapted to support the thinner edges of the lenses.

7. In a view outfit, the combination of a box 33, another box consisting of two sections 31, 32, hinged to each other and adapted to be opened out in a manner that their fiat sides form an unbroken surface, a support for these sections when so opened out to sus tain them in an inclined position, being furnishedby the upward extension of one of the sides of base 33and a hinge whereby the sectional box is held to box 33 in all its positions.

8. In a View outfit, the combination of a box 33 having one of its sides extended upwardly beyond the other three-sides and another box divided horizontally intwo equalsized sections 31, 32, hingedlyconnected,said divided box hingedly connected to the side of box 33 opposite the extended side thereof andadapted when opened out to rest'upon the upper edge of said extended side and a lens-holder hingedly secured to section 31.

9. In a View outfit, thecombination of a lens-holder consisting of two separable parts between which the lenses are confined, asupport for the lens-holder, a hinge wherebythe two parts of it are secured to each other and means on the hinge to secure this lens-holder to the support thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD R. WI'IITING. Witnesses:

O. SPENGEL, ARTHUR KLINE. 

